


Bad Dreams

by natashasbanner



Series: Prompts [44]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-28
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-07-24 00:37:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16170008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/natashasbanner/pseuds/natashasbanner
Summary: Sometimes, Natasha's demons catch up with her in the middle of the night. This time she can't seem to shake the nightmare.From the prompt: prompt: kinda like the one prompt you have where Nat has to calm Bruce down after a hulkout/depression attack but the opposite. Nat keeps getting memories from the red room and bruce has to calm her down/make sure she is ok. Thank you! I really love your writing, I always look forward to it





	Bad Dreams

**Author's Note:**

> Please enjoy :)

Natasha stumbled out of her room with a hand on her forehead. Another memory flashed through her mind. Rows of beds. The rub of metal on her wrist every night. Another bed empty. Natasha pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to pull herself together long enough to make the short walk to the kitchen.   
  
She tried to shake off the painful memories as she got a glass of water and leaned over the counter to steady herself. She took a few deep breaths and a sip of water before her breathing evened out for a moment.   
  
Her heart slowed down and she closed her eyes to try to push the horrible memories away before they could get worse. The memories, as mixed up as they were, from her childhood were mild compared to what she’d done after she was a fully trained assassin and let loose on the world. Opening her eyes, she downed the rest of the water and put the glass in the sink. Running her hands through her hair she sank to the cool tile floor as another onslaught of new images flashed through her mind.   
  
Faces flashed rapidly in front of her eyes with vivid clarity. Her hands felt warm and when she looked down they were covered in blood. Natasha’s eyes widened in horror and she desperately tried to wipe it away. When she looked back up there was a body at her feet with a face she recognized, his face, and she screamed. A terrible, blood curdling sound that echoed over the entire floor.   
  
“What did I do?” she whispered, running her hands repeatedly through her hair. In the back of her mind she knew what she was seeing wasn’t real, but that didn’t take away the fact that it wasn’t going away.   
  
“What did I do?” Natasha repeated, this time a little louder.   
  
“You haven’t done anything, Natasha,” the voice broke through the ringing in her ears and she was almost surprised she hadn’t imagined it.   
  
“Natasha?” The voice questioned cautiously.   
  
She looked toward the source and was relieved to see Bruce standing on the other side of the kitchen. He was barefoot, wearing pajama pants and a white t-shirt. He had his hands in front of him where she could see them and his brow was furrowed in concern.   
  
Natasha let out a humorless chuckle and slumped back against the cupboards behind her.   
  
“Don’t worry Doc, I won’t bite your head off,” she assured him.   
  
“It’s not me I’m worried about,” Bruce told her honestly. He took a few steps toward Natasha to get a better look at his friend and make sure she was all right. He took in her sweat soaked pajamas and the way her hands still shook and the far off look in her eyes. She was most definitely not okay.   
  
“Want to talk about it?” He asked quietly taking another tentative step toward her.   
  
Natasha snorted, but that wasn’t exactly a no. Bruce took another few steps, close enough but not smothering, before taking a seat on the floor himself. He didn’t say anything just sat and absently picked at a loose thread on his pants, waiting.   
  
They sat in silence for a few minutes until Natasha let out a long sigh and looked over at Bruce.   
  
“I’ve done a lot of things I’m not proud of. Sometimes they come back to haunt me,” she said, letting out another humorless chuckle.   
  
“Is that how you ended up out here on the floor?” Bruce questioned looking around them.   
  
Natasha gave him an unamused look and held his hands up.   
  
“No judgment,” he assured her and nodded his head for her to go on.   
  
“I had a nightmare, but it didn’t stop when I woke up. I came out here to try and clear my head, but that didn’t work out how I wanted it to. As you can see.”   
  
“What did you see?” Bruce asked in a low voice, averting his eyes.   
  
She tilted her head and stared at Bruce for a moment before deciding to give him the honest answer.   
  
“You,” she told him, waiting for him to meet her eyes before continuing. “I had blood on my hands and you were just laying there, no life in your eyes. I killed you.”   
  
Bruce was silent as he processed those words.   
  
“Is that why you screamed?” He finally questioned, his tone concerned once more.   
  
“Sorry about that. Didn’t mean to scare you,” she told him sincerely.   
  
“I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” he told her. “So are you?”   
  
“I think I’ll manage.”   
  
Bruce got to his feet and held out his hand for her. She accepted the hand and allowed Bruce to pull her to her feet.   
“Thank you,” she whispered when they were only a breath apart.   
  
Bruce nodded and took a step back when his face began to feel warm. He looked away to give Natasha a moment to collect herself.   
  
“How about I walk you back to your room,” he offered, holding out his arm.   
  
Natasha silently slid next to him and wrapped her hand around the crook of his elbow. “Lead the way.”   
  
They walked slowly, neither saying a word and when they reached her door Natasha reluctantly let go of Bruce and reached for the handle.   
  
“Why me?” Bruce asked almost too quiet, but Natasha heard anyway.   
  
She stared at him until he met her gaze before she answered.   
  
“You know why,” she said with a wink. “Goodnight, Bruce.”   
  
And with that the door closed and Natasha was gone.   



End file.
